Uber drivers don't have the necessary permits to carry passengers under German law, a Frankfurt court said in the emergency ruling dated Aug. 25, citing evidence provided by Taxi Deutschland Service Gesellschaft fuer Taxizentralen eG. The Frankfurt case is one of at least four legal actions against the company in the country.

Governments and regulators in cities around the world are restricting Uber's business on the grounds it poses safety risks and unfairly competes with licensed taxi services. Cabbies with permits that can cost 200,000 euros ($262,500) apiece have staged protests in European cities including London, Madrid, Paris and Berlin.

The company, which is also facing suits and legal threats in the U.S., South Korea, India, the Netherlands and the U.K., will appeal and continue to operate in Germany, one of its fastest growing markets, Uber said in an e-mailed statement.